


Deductions

by Daegaer



Category: Fix Bay'nets - George Manville Fenn, Weiß Kreuz
Genre: Alternate Universe - 19th Century, Assassins & Hitmen, Gay Victorian Assassins on Mars, Gay Victorian Soldiers on Mars, Gen, Psychic Abilities, Victorian Science Fiction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-04-07
Updated: 2007-04-07
Packaged: 2018-11-21 11:44:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 786
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11356830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Daegaer/pseuds/Daegaer
Summary: Gedge and Schuldig meet while shopping.





	Deductions

**Author's Note:**

> A side-scene from Mars Assassins.

Finding his mind almost wholly consumed with the problems that surrounded investigating the terrible crime that had taken place in New London, Gedge discovered he had walked much further than he had intended, inquiring at every building if the persons within had been in the area where the murder had occurred. "Oh, but I am hungry!" he thought, realising with a sinking of his heart that he could not take the time to walk back to the fort to be fed. He looked about him, thinking that he would buy something to eat, to, as he thought to himself, _tide him over_. He trust a hand into his pockets, finding sixpence in one and thruppence-ha'penny in the other. Feeling that he would enjoy buying some food such as the Martians ate he looked down some streets as he passed, but had no success, as he was deep in the British areas of the city. "Well, it’s a loaf of bread and maybe a spot of jam for you, Bill," he told himself, and went into the first baker's he came to. He stopped dead, seeing the customer before him. It was Schuldig, the young German gentleman he and Mr Bracy had spoken to on the previous day.

"And those," said the young man, pointing down at some pastries that Gedge thought looked delicious, but which he reluctantly accepted were too extravagant for his pocket. The girl behind the counter picked them out and put them carefully into a box, tying the whole lot up with string. "I shall be out of your way in but a moment, Private Gedge," said Schuldig, his smile quite evident in the tone of his voice, as he paid the girl and took the three large boxes she handed him.

"How'd you know it was me?" said Gedge in surprise.

"My dear Private Gedge!" cried Schuldig, turning to smile happily at him, "My time amongst the Apaches was not spent wholly in ethnographic pursuits, vital as I'm sure you will agree with me though those were."

"Yes, Mr Schuldig," said Gedge politely, seeing that that gentleman seemed to await an answer.

Schuldig grinned broadly, saying, "The Apache braves are skilled trackers, able to identify the most precise characteristics of the creatures or persons that they follow, from the slightest of evidence. I could never hope to rival such skill, trained into them from the earliest of ages, of course, but I feel I can say, with what I hope you shall not take as boasting, that I am not completely talentless. The sound an army boot makes upon floorboards, Private Gedge, is somewhat different to the noises produced by other footwear. The spacing of your footfalls indicated to me that the person was most likely of the average height of an enlisted man rather than an officer, and," he smiled, indicating the portrait of the Queen that hung behind the counter, "I saw your reflection in the glass."

"Oh," laughed Gedge. "Why, you had me going there, Mr Schuldig! I was thinking as you would make a much better detective than me, with that sort of skill." The man was not as flamboyant in his manner as he had been during their previous interview, and Gedge found himself wishing he could ask questions about the Indians, even though Bracy had said the entire story was no doubt a fabrication on Schuldig's part.

Schuldig smiled, his narrow, scarred cheeks creasing up with amusement. "You would not believe the kinds of secrets I could worry out of people for you," he said quietly. "But you have nothing to worry about, Private Gedge, I believe I have rarely met a man with more honest habits of thought than you." He laughed, continuing, "Although your Mr Bracy does not believe in the spirit world, I assure you, it is quite real, and my spirit guide gives me real and accurate information."

"I don't know anything about that, sir," said Gedge, thinking that Bracy was an educated man, and as such his words deserved Gedge's fullest attention.

"What a loyal person you are," mused Schuldig. His demeanour became more brisk. "If you will excuse me," he said. "I must leave you." He strode past Gedge, the boxes of pastries held carefully by the string. "My regards to Lieutenant Bracy," he said as he crossed the doorstep. "My friend, Mr Crawford, feels sure we shall all meet again." With that he was gone.

Dismissing Schuldig from his thoughts as hunger reasserted itself, Gedge turned all his attention on the bread stacked behind the counter. It wasn't as tasty as cakes a gentleman might buy for his tea, he thought, but it would suit him very well indeed.


End file.
